Iran sent a capsule containing a live monkey into space on Monday and later retrieved the "shipment" intact, according to reports.

There was no independent confirmation of the report, which quoted a defence ministry statement. It said the launch coincided "with the days of" the Prophet Mohammad's birthday last week but gave no date.

IRNA said the monkey was sent into space on a Kavoshgar rocket. The rocket reached a height of more than 120 km (75 miles) and "returned its shipment intact", IRNA reported.

The Islamic Republic's state-run, English-language Press TV said the monkey was retrieved alive.

Iran announced plans in 2011 to send a monkey into space, but that attempt was reported to have failed.

Western powers are concerned that the long-range ballistic technology used to propel Iranian satellites into orbit could be used to launch nuclear warheads.

Actually, Iran has been pursuing a manned space program for several years. Also remember that one of the first steps the US and USSR did was to launch animals; a chimp and a dog, respectively.

Just recently the Iranian Space Agency went to prototype on their spacesuit system, and we can presume thst this monkey's vehicle was a scaled-down version of their proposed crew spacecraft.

They expect to do a manned suborbital mission by the end of 2016, and a manned orbital mission by the end of 2019. The orbital mission will require a new medium lift launcher (~8-10 tonnes to low Earth orbit.)

Considering the extreme technological evolution that has been going on since the USSR and USA send their animals into space, I would have thought that sending relevant sensors would suffice, but perhaps it has to do with the message, more than the actual data gathering.

Considering the extreme technological evolution that has been going on since the USSR and USA send their animals into space, I would have thought that sending relevant sensors would suffice, but perhaps it has to do with the message, more than the actual data gathering.

More like in vivo validation of their environmental and other life support systems, with publicity value as a secondary. They really are quite serious about their manned program.

A country that still practices stoning sending animals into space, I can only wish they send the apostate's blasphmirs and homosexuals there aswell instead of to the center of the town to be stoned to death.

Actually, Iran has been pursuing a manned space program for several years. Also remember that one of the first steps the US and USSR did was to launch animals; a chimp and a dog, respectively.

Yes, and little was learned from sending animals into space. One of the Russian scientists said a few years ago that he regretted sending the dog into space. The poor thing died within a few hours from overheating. For what? Nothing.

Hey, that is racist. Oh, wait, it is Bush. It is OK if we compare him to Hitler, a monkey, or whatever you wish, as long as you don't say anything bad about the most glorious Obama, PBUH.

Congrats on injecting Obama hate into an innocent thread.

I think you know why calling Obama a monkey is racist, and that calling ANYONE Hitler is ignorant and wrong.

nohone, please note it was uncommented on when the hate was directed at bush, but as soon as you mention the messiah, obama, that you get dumped on.

rfirth, why is comparing bush to a monkey OK and not OK to criticize o'bama? is it because he is white and o'bama is only half white? both of them are illegal immigrants anyway, at least from my point of view. my family is in part native american and we never gave you permission to be here. like yours, our immigration system and border control stank & we gave you amnesty. look how that worked out for us.

more on topic, i did not hear any mention of prez. mymoody imadinnerjacket being missing long enough to have been up in space. (he's white, so it's OK to dis him, innit?)

raze, PETA have been trying to find a way to stealthily dispose of the 98% of pets they say they are going to rehome, and then actually kill them in the van as they pull away from the donative family that thinks the pet circumstance prevents them from keeping will find a new loving family. they have been dumping the carcasses in skips behind stores w/o permission, but it's inconvenient when they get caught. space is a great disposal location if they can get the cost down.

I think you know why calling Obama a monkey is racist, and that calling ANYONE Hitler is ignorant and wrong.

Wait, so someone compares Bush to a monkey, I turn the tables and say if we were to compare Obama to a monkey that would be racist, I am the one showing "hate?" How truly pathetic. While the last line I wrote was a joke - how Obama is worshipped and don't you dare say anything negative about him - what you wrote shows how true it really is. Attack anyone who does not "goose step" with the Democrat party line, while repeating exactly what is written/said about anyone who sits on the other side of the isle towards a Democrat, and you are a racist hater.

I know how it works. Try to shut down free speech when I use the very words (or in this case, a comment on a picture) that people speak/write about one person, and turn it towards another by calling everything that does not glorify Obama racist. Problem is, I don't play that game. So whine and claim I am racist all you want. It shows even more how intolerant you really are.